1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to automotive accessories, specifically a vehicle tie down rail conjoinment structure in which when the two pipe segments of the tie down rail are conjoined, the radially distributed force vectors of the two connectors tightly bind the two pipe segments together.
2) Description of the Related Art
Passenger/cargo dual-use trucks equipped with drivers seats and open-beds are in widespread use, such vehicles often having tie down rails installed along the two sides of the bed; examples of these structures include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,476,349, 5,618,140, 6,231,285, and 6,468,009. In a typical arrangement, the tie down rail usually has an anchor body disposed at each of its two extremities and a straight tube is situated between the curved pipe section tube receiving ends connecting the two anchor bodies, with a bolt hole or tie down member provided on the anchor body for the attachment of lines.
Since the curved pipe sections of this category of tie down rail are compression cast, there is a strong contrast in the glossy surface of the straight stainless steel pipe sections where they are formed as well as inadequate structural quality, requiring a few unnecessary bolt holes or tie down components. The tie down rail is often a stainless steel tube stock, directly bent, one-piece fabrication having two curved pipe section at the sides and center straight pipe section in the middle for the tie down rail. However, as the length of tie down rail results in longer packaging area, shipping cost, and cargo placement problems, the straight pipe section and the curved pipe section are cut into two curved pipe sections and one straight pipe section which necessitates assembly. However, even after such a design, the conjoinment structure between the two cut rail pipes still requires further research and development.